This Apple Cranberry Stuffed Turkey Breast is an elegant, flavorful main dish that is surprisingly simple to prepare. Tender turkey breast is butterflied, pounded thin, filled with savory bread stuffing, apples, and dried cranberries, then rolled and baked until juicy. It is a wonderful recipe for fall dinners, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any cozy winter gathering.
Stuffed Turkey
If you want a dinner that looks impressive without spending the entire day in the kitchen, this apple cranberry stuffed turkey breast is a perfect choice. It gives you all the comforting flavor of a holiday turkey, but it is easier to manage than roasting a whole bird. Because the turkey breast is rolled with stuffing inside, every slice has a beautiful spiral of juicy meat, seasoned bread, sweet apples, and tart dried cranberries.
This stuffed turkey breast recipe is especially useful when you are cooking for a smaller group. It feels special enough for Thanksgiving or Christmas, but it is also simple enough for a fall dinner party or a Sunday meal. Once the turkey breast is deboned and butterflied, the rest of the process is straightforward: prepare the stuffing, roll the turkey, tie it, and bake.
You can also prepare this dish ahead of time, which makes entertaining much easier. It can be fully cooked and reheated, or assembled in advance and baked the day you plan to serve it. The result is moist, flavorful turkey with a homemade stuffing that brings together classic savory ingredients and a touch of seasonal sweetness.
Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Turkey Breast Recipe
- It is easier to carve and serve than a whole turkey.
- The apple cranberry stuffing adds both flavor and moisture.
- It looks elegant on a platter but uses simple ingredients.
- It can be made ahead for holidays or dinner parties.
- It is a great option when you do not need a full-size turkey.
Key Ingredients to Make Rolled Stuffed Turkey Breast
- TURKEY BREAST – Use a whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast. You can remove the breast meat from the bone yourself, or ask your butcher to do it for you. Save the skin because it is placed back over the rolled turkey before baking.
- BREAD – French or Italian bread works well for the stuffing. Cut it into cubes and dry it in the oven, or use plain dried bread cubes. If using dried cubes, make sure they are not seasoned.
- VEGETABLES – Celery, onion, and garlic create a classic savory base for the stuffing.
- SEASONING – Poultry seasoning keeps the flavor simple and traditional.
- APPLES – Use one large apple or two small apples. Any variety you enjoy will work.
- DRIED CRANBERRIES – Dried cranberries add sweetness and color. Lower-sugar cranberries may be used if preferred.
- CHICKEN STOCK OR BROTH – Stock or broth moistens the stuffing and adds more flavor than water.
- BUTTER – Butter is used to cook the vegetables and enrich the stuffing.
How to Debone a Turkey Breast
Place the turkey breast on a large cutting board with the breast side facing up. Use a sharp boning knife or chef’s knife and cut along one side of the breastbone, keeping the blade close to the bone. Gently pull the meat away with your free hand as you cut. Repeat on the other side until both breast halves are removed. After the meat is off the bone, carefully loosen and remove the skin with your fingers. Set the skin aside for later.
If you are not comfortable deboning the turkey yourself, ask your butcher to remove the breast meat from the bone while keeping the skin available for the recipe.
Instructions to Make Stuffed Turkey Breast
MAKE THE STUFFING: Cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes and spread it on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F, stirring often, until the bread is dry. This takes about 1 hour. While the bread dries, cook the celery and onion in butter until softened, then stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Combine the dried bread, cooked vegetables, apple, dried cranberries, poultry seasoning, and chicken stock in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
DEBONE: Remove the turkey breast meat from the bone as described above, or use turkey breast meat that has already been deboned.
REMOVE THE SKIN: Gently loosen the skin and remove it from the turkey breast. Save it to place over the rolled turkey before baking.
BUTTERFLY: Place each turkey breast half where the skin side was facing down. Insert your knife into the thickest part and cut horizontally, being careful not to cut all the way through. Open the meat like a book.
POUND: Cover the turkey with plastic wrap and pound it with the flat side of a meat mallet until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Repeat with the second breast.
STUFF: Lay each turkey breast flat and spread half of the stuffing over each one in an even layer. Gently press the stuffing into the meat so it stays in place while rolling.
ROLL AND TIE: Starting from the long side, roll the turkey breast tightly and place it seam side down. Lay the reserved skin over the top. Tie the roll with kitchen string, brush with oil or melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Place the stuffed turkey breast on a large baking sheet.
BAKE: Bake in a 350°F oven for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Check the temperature before the full hour if needed. Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes before slicing so the juices stay in the meat.
FAQs
Yes. You have two options. First, bake the turkey, refrigerate it for up to 2 days, then slice it and reheat it covered in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes or until warmed through. Second, assemble the rolled turkey breast without baking, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and cook as directed. It may need a little extra time in the oven.
Yes. Replace the regular bread with your favorite gluten-free bread.
Serve this stuffed turkey breast with mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, roasted carrots, roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or a fresh seasonal salad. It also pairs well with homemade gravy.
After removing the turkey from the oven, transfer it to a platter. Pour 1 cup of chicken stock or broth into the pan and scrape up the browned bits. Pour the drippings into a measuring cup and add enough broth to make 2 cups of liquid. In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the reserved broth, bring to a boil, and cook until slightly thickened.
More Turkey Recipes To Try
- Creamy Turkey and Dumplings Soup
- Beer and Butter Turkey
- Turkey Tetrazzini
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Butterflied Roasted Herb Turkey
This apple cranberry stuffed turkey breast is a beautiful main dish for holiday meals and small gatherings. It is flavorful, tender, and easy to serve, with a festive stuffing that makes every slice look special.
Apple Cranberry Stuffed Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 1 (1 pound) (454g) loaf Italian or French bread
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 small stalks celery, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 large apple, chopped
- 1 cup (125g) dried cranberries
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1½ cups (355ml) reduced sodium chicken stock or broth
- 1 (8-9 pound) (3.6-4kg) bone-in, skin-on turkey breast
Instructions
STUFFING:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring frequently, until dry, about 1 hour.
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While the bread dries, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
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Place the dried bread in a large bowl. Add the cooked vegetables, apple, dried cranberries, and poultry seasoning. Toss with the chicken stock. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.
TURKEY PREP:
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Place the turkey breast on a large cutting board, breast side up. Using a sharp knife, cut down one side of the breastbone, keeping the knife close to the bone. Gently pull the meat away as you cut. Repeat on the other side.
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Remove the skin by carefully loosening it with your fingers. Save the skin for covering the rolled turkey.
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Place each turkey breast half with the skin side down. Cut horizontally into the thickest part without cutting all the way through, then open the breast like a book.
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Cover the turkey with plastic wrap and pound it with the flat side of a meat mallet until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Repeat with the second breast.
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Spread half of the stuffing over each turkey breast in an even layer. Gently press the stuffing into the meat to help it stay in place.
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Roll each breast from the long side and place seam side down. Lay the reserved skin over the top, tie with kitchen string, brush with oil or melted butter, and season with salt and pepper.
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Place the rolls on a large baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Make Ahead: Bake and refrigerate for up to 2 days, then slice and reheat covered at 350°F for about 30 minutes. You can also assemble the rolled turkey without baking, refrigerate it for up to 2 days, and bake as directed after letting it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Freezer Friendly: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating.
- Gravy: Use the pan drippings, chicken broth, butter, and flour to make a simple gravy as described in the FAQ section.
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 30g
| Protein: 1g
| Fat: 13g
| Sugar: 13g